unable to loss weight

[celticdaft]

for all you regulars , ive been browsing the forum for a while now since i was diagnosed type 2 ,was put on metformin ,sinvastin ,ramipril , nurse told me originally if i lost weight and watched my diet i could control my diabetes and come off the medication .once diagnosed i had targets to aim for ( weight 19 stone ,hba1c 14.9)1: loss weight 2: bring down hba1c . after 3mths got weight to 18.5 and hba1c to 9.2 , at 6mths 18 st and hba1c 7.4 ...... figures going the right way i thought not according to nurse :cry: . after 12 mths weight still 18 hba1c 7.0 ( then told would always be on meds). found the forum and after reading various posts decided to come off simvastin and ramipril , starting to feel better but still couldnt shift weight ( despite going to gym 3 times a week and also some swimming ) . at recent review nurse then told me metformin keeps my weight about 7lbs higher ( IS THIS TRUE) was also told low carbs wasnt good for me ( this was after i suggested trying a low carb diet ) . CAN ANYONE GIVE SIMPLE STRAIGHT ANSWERS TO THE FOLLLOWING QUESTIONS 1: does metformin cause you to retain weight ? 2: if my chlosterel etc is ok why should i stay on simvastin and ramipril , what are they helping ? 3: is it possible as i was originally told to come off metformin and control diabetes by diet ,excersice ?4: LOW CARB does it work ? :roll: :mrgreen:

 

[sandymaynard]

Hi There
I will say what i know that is not alot,
I am sure someone will be along shortly to put it right.
1. metaformin does not make you retain weight far as i know.
2. I do low carb or reduced carb as i call it now, In the last few months i have lost 30lbs in all...
I gave up pasta,bread,rice,sweets,chocolate except when blood sugar too low.
I have managed to lose alot of weight, I lost inches before the weight started coming off!
sandy

 

[fergus]

Hail hail celticdaft,

1. I don't take metformin so I have no experience of its effect on weight. Others may help here.
2. If your cholesterol is ok, there's no need to be on statins unless you're so happy with your doctor that you'd like him/her to continue being paid for prescribing them to you. Your diet will have a bigger impact on your cholesterol levels anyway.
3. Yes, it's possible to control diabetes by diet and exercise alone, without medication, provided you are type 2 and you use the most appropriate diet. Highly unlikely to be the diet prescribed via the NHS though.
4. Absolutely it works. It's also the answer to questions 1, 2 and 3.

fergus

 

[celticdaft]

thanks for the answers just wanted confirmation before i started changing diet ,will keep you informed of my progress .

 

[hanadr]

Hi celticdaft
you got the answers in previous posts.
Metformin DOES NOT cause weight gain. Most other oral antidiabetic meds do( insulin does too)
Your nurse, seems just to have got it muddled.
Simvastatin has protective effects on micro blood vessels, so it's worth taking, unless it REALLY upsets you
Low carb, or even reduced carb is perfectly safe and is probably the solution to your quandery. Get the Cllins Little Gem Calorie counter. It's not expensive and is small enough to fit into a pocket.
If you get used to eating about 50 - 100 carbs per day, the weight should come off. eventually you may need to reduce total calories too. The medics and dietitians don't like low carb diets, for any number of reasons. I've found a few who said they knew patients who'd been harmed by it, but none has ever told me specifically what harm was done. BEfore I believe them I'd like evidence.
I don't believe that anyone has ever been harmed by the Atkins or South Beach diets( low carb). At least I couldn't find any evidence that they had.

 

[Trinkwasser]

AFAICR they have tried to market metformin as a weight LOSS drug (not in the UK).

Personally I'd stay on the ramipril, ACE and ARB blood pressure medications have kidney protective effects. I'm in two minds about statins, they don't do me any harm (though they do others) but I have dropped them to see what my unmedicated lipids look like.

A suitably low carb diet will make the BG control much easier, drop your trigs, increase your HDL and probably improve your BP also.

Here's a good technique for working out your own specific carb level at different times of day

http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/2009/ ... -test.html

 

[humph]

Even though I am now on Byetta, my consultant has left me on the maximum dose of Metformin, I tolerate it well, for as he said "the weight loss benifits".

Not that they seem to be working at the moment, if only they hadn't banned Acomplia.

 

[dinosaur]

i have no real knowledge of diabetes problems having just been diagnosed myself in january as type 2.
i do know about losing weight though as i boxed for many years and was very used to having to shift weight.

losing weight is simply a case of discipline and willpower and not cheating yourself.

write down in a diary every single thing you eat in a day and dont cheat with the calorie numbers
write down every bit of exercise you do a day and write down the calories .

from then on its maths.
eat 1500 calories a day and do 300 calories exercise a day and you will lose at least 1lb a week and if your BMI is high you might lose even more.

i have a underactive thyroid and this still works .